Mary Anne Monckton, Artistic Gymnast, Australia, Supreme Dedication

Today’s Australian female gymnastics is filled with youthful luminaries and potential champions.

The desire and passion to become a global champion is very evident among this talented group when you scan the bios of the team’s athletes.

Patricia Jane Berg was an American professional golfer and a founding member and then leading player on the LPGA Tour during the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Her 15 major title wins remains the all-time record for most major wins by a female golfer.

In regards to becoming a champion she was once quoted as saying, “What does it take to be a champion? Desire, dedication, determination, concentration and the will to win.”

The bright and beautiful young Aussie Mary Anne Monckton embodies the qualities that Ms. Berg spoke of and despite major obstacles continues on her pathway to greatness.

She was born on November 16, 1994 in Belmont, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Her official title is that of an Artistic Gymnast.

Mary Anne won two silver medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and proudly represented her home country in two world championships.

Our star began to participate in gymnastics after being influenced by her cousin Melissa’s success. At first Mary Anne didn’t like the sport but Melissa’s persistence convinced her to keep trying.

Her hard work and dedication is paying off.

“Confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s a result of something… hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.”….Roger Staubach

Ms. Monckton’s championship debut came at the International Level 10 competition in 2006, where she won silver on floor, bronze on beam, and placed tenth in the all-around. She went on to make her international debut at the Elite Gym Massilia in France that year, winning silver with her team.

The following year, she competed at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, winning silver on floor and placing twenty-third in the all-around. She competed at her first Junior Nationals, winning silver on bars and beam, and placing fifth in the all-around, ninth on bars, and tenth on vault.

It was in 2008 that she competed at the Junior Nationals Clubs Championships, winning all-around, balance beam, and floor exercise gold, and placing seventh on vault and bars.

Mary Anne made her senior debut at the Australian Nationals, winning all-around and uneven bars silver and placing sixth on beam. The following year, she competed at the International Gymnix in Canada, placing eleventh on floor and twenty-ninth in the all-around.

At the Japan Cup, she placed fourth with her team and fifth in the all-around. At the Australian Nationals that year, she won team gold, uneven bars and floor exercise silver, all-around and balance beam bronze, and placed sixth on vault. She was named to the Australian team for the World Championships in Tokyo, where she helped them place sixth in the team final. The rounded out the year by finishing fifth in the all-around at the Tokyo World Cup.

At the 2014 Commonwealth Games, Mary Anne led the Australian team finishing in second place, earning her a silver medal. She contributed scores on three apparatuses, on the vault she scored 14.000, 13.333 on the uneven bars and 13.100 on the balance beam.

She also qualified for the balance beam final where she scored 13.666 which earned her a second silver medal.

2014 was a break out year so there is more.

Our rising star competed at the Doha World Cup, winning silver on bars. She went on to win team and balance beam gold at the Australian Nationals, and was named to the Australian team for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. She won silver with her team and on balance beam. After the Commonwealth Games, she was named to the Australian team for the World Championships.

Very, very impressive.

So what was that major obstacle that she had to overcome that tested her resolve?

“I have no idols. I admire work, dedication and competence.”…. Ayrton Senna

The Sydney Morning Herald shares, “Monckton is the world championships team member who returned from two ankle reconstructions before a ruptured tendon that required peroneal transfer surgery last November, having also suffered Olympic selection disappointment in 2012. Indeed, in some respects, hers has been a triumph of perseverance above all.”

Those injuries would have finished off many less dedicated but it never broke Mary Anne’s spirit.

Let’s visit the village that helped form Mary Anne Monckton.

Belmont is a suburb in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, located 12 miles from Newcastle‘s central business district on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie and is part of the City of Lake Macquarie.

Belmont is situated on a sandy peninsula formed by the Tasman Sea on the east and Lake Macquarie.

Belmont is home to many shops, restaurants and many other amenities.

The educational site Visit New South Wales smiles, “Sandy inlets, secluded bays and protected foreshores can be found around Lake Macquarie. Get into the relaxing vibe with swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing.

Belmont is one of several well-located towns on the edge of Lake Macquarie, an easy 1.5 hour drive north of Sydney. Located on the eastern shore of the lake, Belmont is surrounded by water with Belmont Lagoon and the Pacific Ocean close by.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the town’s relaxed lifestyle. At one of the local beaches such as Blacksmith, Redhead and Caves, you’ll discover great waves for keen surfers. On the placid waters of the lake, enjoy a day’s sailing, wind surfing or fishing. There are two major sailing clubs at Belmont, a championship golf course and plenty of parkland for picnics and cycling.”

That seems pretty relaxing. That probability contributed to Mary Anne’s widely acclaimed enjoyable personality.

As of this writing, here is a video featuring her that you might enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO8gm9lSltE&app=desktop

As far as the future, her priority is to help Australia to the top-eight qualification result that would guarantee a full team in Rio this year.